Most Expensive French Wines

Demand + limited supply = grande prices

Coming from Alsace, Domaine Trimbach’s Clos Ste. Hune is another white wine that has managed to gather all the touchstones to become super-expensive and highly sought-after. This Riesling comes from a modest vineyard, the Clos Ste. Hune, and due to the low yield and late harvest only about 750 cases or so are produced each vintage.

Riesling is most commonly associated with Germany, and rightly so since it’s produced across the entire range of styles in Deutschland. But here in France, Alsace is where it’s at for Riesling, not surprising since Alsace basically borders Germany. Trimbach’s Clos St. Hune is the epitome of Alsacien Riesling. In fact, there are nine decades of proof; simple proof that Clos Ste. Hune is remarkable, complex, ageworthy, and expensive. The most recent vintage on the market will set you back about $150 per bottle. Cheap only among these giants.

Mentioned in this article

Comments

The problem with expensive French wines (besides the price tag) is that you either have to buy an old bottle (and often pay even more $$$) or wait 10-20 years till it matures. Otherwise, you would feel that you are wasting a precious product that haven't reached its potential. I think, it's worth it, but unless you are rich you must be real passionate about this stuff.

I just don't understand this article. It's not really about price - because the top Bordeauxs (Lafite etc) are clearly more expensive than, say, Henri Bonneaux. But it's not about quality; there are no tasting notes or qualitative judgments in the article. So, what exactly is it trying to say?

There is something almost depressing about this article as it illustrates the extent to which the door to "fine" wines has been shut on the majority by the speculating and trophy hunting few. How else to explain the meteoric (and ultimately unsustainable) inflation in prices in recent decades. In retrospect the Dutch look pretty silly sinking their millions into tulips; future generations may think the same about the current obsession with Le Pin.

I recall with bitter nostalgia my early years in New Jersey where, as a post-doctoral student, my new-found "wealth" enabled me indulge in some of the more exotic offerings. Trips to the local wine shop would yield bottles of DRC Echezeau and Grand Echezeau ($50 - $80), Petrus (around $40) and so on; they would just be sitting on the shelves like any other wine. Now, supposedly further along the arc of wealth, I am further from a Romanee-Conti than ever.

definition of a good wine?.......one u enjoy!!..and Ive enjoyed a 10 euro bottle of merlot just as much as a 50$ one.....so other than indulging in an enjoyable hobby , collecting and cellaring, I agree with Alywin-forbes that we can become addicted to the investment aspect of wines and like the Dutch be burned by tulip mania!....about 1992 I discovered a 1972 bottle of Spanish Rioja in my Dads cupboard..I opened it on christmas day 1993 and it tasted so foul.....pure vinegar nasty ..we were sooooo dissapointed!